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A.G. Coombs Group

The A.G. Coombs Group is a privately owned Australian group of companies that provides an integrated range of technical services for all systems in buildings, from design through to installation, commissioning, maintenance and ongoing operation and management. Operating for over 65 years, A.G. Coombs has a national capability with major operations on Australia’s eastern seaboard.

Melbourne 03 9248 2700 | Sydney 02 8020 6000 | Canberra 02 6217 5600 Brisbane 07 3648 0500 | agcoombs.com.au/profile/

A.G. Coombs projeCts

A.G. Coombs Projects leverages a National Centre of Excellence approach, where teamwork and project management skills set the company apart. This approach also provides high-end engineering, project management and site personnel to deliver successful projects throughout Australia.

03 9248 2700 | agcoombs.com.au/projects/

A.G. Coombs serviCe

A.G. Coombs Service is a specialist provider of air conditioning, mechanical services, building controls and bundled services maintenance. Delivering 24/7 building support, the company is a preferred supplier to the Facilities Management industry and provides professionally managed, highly qualified technical staff to achieve improved reliability, lower costs and regulatory compliance in commercial, retail and industrial buildings.

03 9676 4600 | agcoombs.com.au/service/

A.G. Coombs Advisory

A.G. Coombs Advisory provides quality advice and consulting services across numerous disciplines including mechanical, electrical, hydraulics, fire protection services and building technologies. A.G. Coombs Advisory is Australia’s leading provider of Green Star Independent Commissioning Agent (ICA) services for projects requiring Green Star ‘As Built’ Certification, and a leading provider of energy efficiency services.

03 9248 2700 | agcoombs.com.au/advisory/

WAlker Fire proteCtion

Walker Fire Protection provides a range of fire protection and detection services, from high-end project engineering advice through to concept and detailed design, installation of all types of fire detection and suppression systems, and ongoing inspection, testing, maintenance and regulatory compliance support.

03 9279 7100 | agcoombs.com.au/walkerfire/

inteGrAted teChniCAl mAnAGement

A high quality provider of Technical Facilities Management, Integrated Technical Management specialises in technically complex and critical facilities such as data and internet centres, major commercial complexes and sophisticated industrial plants.

03 9248 2700 | agcoombs.com.au/itm/

be2012 edition

buildinG eFFiCienCy

FeAtured stories

A year of leadership, strength and stability Redeveloped Hamer Hall reopens to a standing ovation Giving Queensland’s new Oral Health Centre a reason to smile 39 Hunter Street: Maintaining the past, the present and the future Energy performance optimisation at Sydney Central Maintaining Australia’s newest children’s hospital Whole-of-life maintenance for whole of State Government portfolio Maximum fire protection at mission critical data centre

mAnAGinG direCtor’s messAGe

The 2011-2012 year has been an extremely challenging year for the industry. However, for the A.G. Coombs Group, we have emerged in a strong leadership position with an excellent pipeline of project work and strengthened capabilities.

In light of the recent industry turmoil which included the collapse of our major competitor, the Hastie Group, our clients are appreciating more than ever the capabilities, responsiveness and stability that the A.G. Coombs Group provides. During these challenging times, we have been able to remain extremely focused on our medium and long term plans in parallel with being exceptionally nimble, flexible and responsive in supporting our valued clients in the delivery of a broad range of outcomes across the lifecycle of building services.

Equally impressive has been the strengthening of our geographic presence across the eastern seaboard of Australia, including the establishment of our Queensland operations ahead of schedule.

This year’s edition of Building Efficiency Magazine again highlights our industry-leading capabilities and exceptional performance in achieving both innovative and performance based outcomes that set our company apart from the competitors.

The company’s continued investment over many years to develop and leverage unique in-house capabilities, including Building Information Modelling (BIM), integrated prefabrication strategies and mobile technology for field operations, is providing significant client benefits including cost savings, program reduction and efficiency gains.

Sustainability, building efficiency and energy optimisation have been an integral part of the A.G. Coombs Group focus for several decades. It is pleasing that our well established capabilities in these areas expanded nationally to both existing clients as well as new. Our ability to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions sets us apart in the market and during 2011-2012, we further demonstrated our proven track record in providing the experience, methodologies and tools to support our clients in achieving measurable improvements in building performance.

Also particularly pleasing has been the further development of our business infrastructure to support our growing customer base in service and technical facilities management across Australia. Our National Customer Service Centre (NCSC) is not only providing 24/7 365 days a year national coverage; it also offers the highest levels of personal service whilst utilising a well developed technology platform for fast response and detailed tracking of requests. Importantly, the feedback from our customers since the company transitioned to the NCSC model has been exceptional.

Continued investment in the development of our people, their safety and wellbeing, and providing an environment that supports the teamwork required to deliver at the highest

level, are essential attributes of our integrated business model.

We continued our leadership position in safety by maintaining our certification of SafetyMAP at Advanced level as well as national certification to Australian Standard AS4801:2001. This was further demonstration of our ongoing commitment and industry leadership in being incident and injury free wherever we have a presence; across every part of our operation.

During 2011-2012, A.G. Coombs’ Environmental Management System also achieved independent certification to the AS/NZS ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems standard.

What has also been pleasing is that the substantial growth experienced over recent times has been accompanied with an ongoing commitment to the A.G. Coombs values based culture.

The A.G. Coombs Group point of difference continues to be our unique breadth and depth of specialist capabilities across building services that encapsulates a ‘Whole of Life’ approach. Underpinning this leading capability are our talented people, strong core values and organisational culture that ensures the A.G. Coombs Group will continue to deliver both innovative and performance based solutions of the highest standard for our valued clients.

russell telFord

Managing Director

Contents02 Redeveloped Hamer Hall reopens to a standing ovation

04 Giving Queensland’s new Oral Health Centre a reason to smile

06 39 Hunter Street: Maintaining the past, the present and the future

07 Energy performance optimisation at Sydney Central

08 Maintaining Australia’s newest children’s hospital

10 Whole-of-life maintenance for whole of State Government portfolio

12 Maximum fire protection at mission critical data centre

A yeAr oF leAdership, strenGth And stAbility

The Arts Centre precinct has been a place for entertainment and the performing arts since the 1870s when a travelling circus first arrived on the site. A permanent circus facility was constructed in 1901 and theatres, a Japanese tea house, cinema, and an ice rink followed. After World War II, civic leaders began to form a vision of an arts precinct at the site. A master plan ultimately saw the creation of the complex of buildings we see today with the National Gallery of Victoria, The Theatres Building with its iconic spire and The Concert Hall, now named Hamer Hall in honour of Victoria’s 39th Premier Sir Rupert Hamer.

Closed for two years and reopened in July 2012, the $135 million Hamer Hall redevelopment has

taken this much loved building well into the 21st century with substantial changes to improve its functionality and amenity whilst retaining its heritage.

The acoustics of the hall have been significantly enhanced along with new seating, new stage technologies and a displacement ventilation air conditioning system. One of the biggest changes is the building’s accessibility with a new entry from the river side. Outside the hall are new retail and hospitality areas, box office and additional toilets. Fire safety has also been a focus with improved exit times via revised stairs and larger escalators, and new fire detection and alarm systems. The changes retain and enhance the heritage of the building with much of the original interior refurbished.

The redevelopment project was an alliance between Arts Victoria, Major Projects Victoria, the Victorian Arts Centre Trust, architects Ashton, Raggatt, McDougall and builders Baulderstone. A.G. Coombs Projects was appointed to carry out the air conditioning and mechanical services works and Walker Fire Protection delivered the changes required to the fire services.

Acoustics were a critical consideration for the new air conditioning system, and high efficiency, low noise air handling units were installed. In the hall, conditioned air is introduced from outlets

under the seats. This low velocity air naturally rises as it takes in heat from the audience and is removed at a high level. Displacement ventilation systems of this type offer a number of advantages; they are intrinsically quiet, effective for seated audiences and require less energy as the air rises of its own accord.

The facility’s age and original design peculiarities including its round shape added to the complexity of the project, with challenges in accommodating the new services within the physical restraints of the building and its structure along with heritage features such as the gold leaf ceilings.

The new air conditioning and fire protection systems are maintained by long-standing maintenance provider A.G. Coombs Service, and Walker Fire Protection, to ensure optimal performance and fire safety to support the seamless operation of the renewed facility.

Geoffrey Brace, Manager Asset Maintenance at Arts Centre Melbourne is pleased with the outcome, expressing his enthusiasm for this renewed world-class arts facility.

“The Modernisation of Melbourne’s historic Hamer Hall will help to retain its position as one of the world’s most sought after concert venues well into future,” he said. “The quality and detail of the redevelopment including the air conditioning installation provides a new level of comfort for the audience.”

Since its reopening, Hamer Hall has welcomed home the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and attracted a wide variety of leading artists including popular singers K.D. Lang and Tina Arena, soprano Rachelle Durkin and the Victorian Opera, and guitarist Tommy Emmanuel to name a few. The building is performing to the same high standard as that of its headline acts; a standard definitely worthy of a standing ovation.

0302 SPECIALIST FACILITIES

preFAbriCAtion deliverinG on-site

A.G. Coombs’ large integrated prefabrication facility continues to deliver advantages to projects, reducing on-site time, providing alternative construction options for builders and improving site safety.

Following on from the manufacturing of 124 mechanical /electrical heat exchanger assemblies for the Melbourne Markets, six 8-metre long modules of pre-insulated pipework up to 600mm in diameter were also manufactured for the project. The prefabrication process enabled this 48 metre run of pipework to be lifted to nine metres and bolted together in six sections, rather than in multiple pieces, saving time and cost and reducing on-site Workplace Health and Safety risk.

Similar benefits have been witnessed at the first tower in Melbourne’s new Collins Square precinct in the Docklands, with the combined services riser for the building fully prefabricated and transported to site in 3-storey lengths. The riser assembly was designed to millimetre accuracy to suit the 17-floor, 38,000 square metre building and contained chilled and condenser water, heating hot water, natural gas, fire sprinkler and hydrant pipes, together with outside air and exhaust ductwork risers.

redeveloped hAmer hAll reopens to stAndinG ovAtion

“The quality and detail of the

redevelopment including the air

conditioning installation provides a

new level of comfort for the audience.”

Geoffrey Brace, Manager Asset Maintenance, Arts Centre Melbourne

Hamer Hall, originally known as the Melbourne Concert Hall, was first unveiled to the Australian public in 1982. Thirty years on, the largest venue in Melbourne’s Arts Centre precinct has reopened following a spectacular $135.8 million redevelopment.

Original construction 1979, Arts Centre Melbourne, Performing Arts Collection.

SPECIALIST FACILITIES 0504

bim: buildinG A better Future

The development of Building Information Modelling (BIM) for facilities and their services is increasing at a rapid rate, with this technique now starting to prove its worth across design, project programming, coordination, installation and cost control.

In Brisbane, the new McLachlan & Ann complex and its three buildings in Fortitude Valley – a 12-storey 5 Star Green Star office tower, retail centre and residential apartment – are benefitting from the BIM process.

A.G. Coombs has design and construction responsibility for the HVAC, central energy plant and mechanical services on this project, with BIM improving services design and installation efficiencies and forming the foundation for improvements in the lifecycle performance of the buildings.

In Melbourne, the new Craigieburn Central town centre project is benefitting from A.G. Coombs’ BIM-to-Field methodology, with site personnel using mobile technology to access the models for installation strategies and coordination purposes. Still in Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute, BIM features are also being used on-site for services clash detection and the coordination of all trades, a particularly useful tool in a complex research facility that incorporates many complicated systems.

When completed, the University of Queensland’s new Oral Health Centre will be Australia’s largest and most advanced tertiary oral health facility, combining research, education, training and specialist expertise in patient care.

This $120 million project at the University’s inner Brisbane Herston campus is being constructed by Lend Lease, with A.G. Coombs Projects appointed to provide mechanical, air conditioning and medical gas services along with the Building Information Modelling (BIM) coordination role.

The delivery of mechanical services is challenged by the wide range of specialist facilities and equipment in the new Centre. These include state-of-the-art dentistry clinics incorporating 187 dental chairs, two fully equipped operating theatres, 13 patient beds, biomedical research laboratories, simulation laboratories, lecture and seminar rooms, a specialist dental library, teaching and office spaces, a medical bookshop and even a coffee shop.

A.G. Coombs is applying BIM technology using BIM-MEPAUS methodologies to ‘build’ the air conditioning, medical gas and other systems in a virtual environment that includes all building elements, before actual fabrication and installation on the project site. BIM involves the generation and management of full digital representations of a building and all its characteristics. The resulting models become shared knowledge resources to support decision-making about a facility, from earliest conceptual stages, through design and

construction, and continuing on to operational life. BIM-MEPAUS is an industry initiative that includes the standardisation of methods and protocols to facilitate the implementation of BIM and Integrated Project Delivery within the Australian Construction Building Services Sector.

BIM is particularly valuable when handling intricate designs, and in the coordination of multiple systems. With the scale and complexity of the medical gas systems and other services required by the Centre’s 187 dental chairs, this process would have been much more difficult without the use of BIM (the project features the largest dental suction plant in the southern hemisphere).

The Centre’s design was initially compiled using Autodesk® Revit® software, which is specifically built to support BIM. These files were then converted into Autodesk® Fabrication FABmep+, A.G Coombs’ fabrication tool, to support the generation of the construction drawings. These models, together with models from other design and construction team members, were consolidated into a single federated model using the BIM software package, Autodesk® Navisworks®, where virtualconstruction could commence. Building in a

virtual environment allows designers and installers to review the installation methodology and the finished installation, highlight any inconsistencies and potential construction issues, and identify clashes between services or with building elements in advance. Issues were reviewed and resolved by the combined project team in a series of coordination workshops; a time-efficient technique that virtually ensures minimal surprises on-site.

HVAC design was critical, with many of the Centre’s laboratory and research areas requiring strict pressurisation and temperature control. Environmental performance was also a key consideration with energy efficient systems and optimised plant selection necessary.

With the project in construction, the model is used to enable a number of A.G. Coombs BIM-to-Field methodologies. These include the use of the Trimble Positioning System to accurately and quickly complete services set-outs and the installation of pre-cast anchors. This facilitates the hanging of services including ductwork and pipework immediately following builder handover of the floor.

This system is supported by Lend Lease as A.G. Coombs’ “Incident & Injury Free” initiative on this project, with major health and safety benefits resulting from the significantly reduced need for on-site drilling and working at height.

Peter Ward, General Manager Queensland/NT of Lend Lease, stated how impressed he is with the project’s progress.

“Lend Lease carefully selected all its specialist service providers for the University of Queensland’s Oral Health Centre project,” he said. “The effective delivery of mechanical, air conditioning and medical gas services to such a large and complex dental facility is critical to the success of the project. A.G. Coombs’ initial advice together with their capability in BIM and history of effectively managing and delivering complex systems made them the right choice for this project.”

The final model will provide a detailed and accurate digital representation of the entire 7-level, 17,763 square metre facility, with the benefits of BIM on this project promising to be realised long into the future.

GivinG QueenslAnd’s neW orAl heAlth Centre A reAson to smile

A.G. Coombs is applying BIM technology using BIM-MEPAUS methodologies

to ‘build’ the air conditioning, medical gas and other systems in a virtual

environment that includes all building elements, before actual fabrication

and installation on the project site.

0706

Sydney’s 39 Hunter Street has recently undergone a major upgrade, restoring the heritage listed building to its former glory and seeing it achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating.

Owned by property investors Kador Group and home to global financial services group Optiver, the landmark 1916 building has been returned to its former glory in a major upgrade that has seen its heritage characteristics conserved, restored and transformed to achieve a modern commercial building space and a world’s best practice environmental rating. Indeed, it is the first heritage listed building in Australia to achieve a 6 Star Green Star – Office As Built v2 rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

Behind the scenes, works are being carried out to complement the upgrade and maintain the building’s world-class environmental status.

The facility comprises state-of-the-art building services including energy efficient central plant chillers and boilers, air conditioning and ventilation systems, and lighting systems.

A.G. Coombs (NSW) was nominated by the Kador Group to provide base building HVAC and Mechanical Services maintenance to help ensure the building retains its impressive environmental performance whilst fulfilling the needs of the tenant and maintaining the quality of the asset.

Additional A.G. Coombs services have helped improve compliance certification processes and further improve the building’s environmental performance. A focus on the building’s annual fire system certification resulted in the preparation of a detailed fire matrix. A range of additional energy optimisation opportunities have been identified including a Building Energy Optimisation Program to ensure the building’s new energy consuming systems operate at maximum efficiency and the building achieves its targeted 5 Star NABERS Energy rating. Other system modifications have also further enhanced its environmental performance including improvements to the site’s waste system.

The quality and success of the 39 Hunter Street redevelopment was acknowledged at the 2012 Property Council of Australia’s Innovation &

Excellence Awards, where the building won the S4B Studio Award for Best Heritage and Adaptive Reuse.

Graham Ross of the Kador Group expressed his appreciation of A.G. Coombs’ contribution to the building’s ongoing success, and to having access to a service provider with the knowledge and expertise to effectively maintain such a special facility. “Ongoing effective maintenance of 39 Hunter Street is critical in our efforts to retain and even improve the energy performance of this 6 Star Green Star heritage listed facility,” he said.

Further details on the building and the redevelopment can be found at http://39hunterstreet.com.au/building.html.

“Ongoing effective maintenance of

39 Hunter Street is critical in our efforts

to retain and even improve the energy

performance of this 6 Star Green Star

heritage listed facility.”

Graham Ross, Kador Group

Sydney Central at 477 Pitt Street is an A-grade, 30-storey commercial office building incorporating retail outlets on the ground and lower ground levels, together with two levels of basement car parking.

Improving the energy efficiency of the base building meant looking at the building as a whole and identifying where energy initiatives could be implemented and savings could be achieved.

Engaged to undertake a review of the existing facility and its energy consumption and metering systems, A.G. Coombs Advisory provided ISPT with detailed engineering advice and commissioning support. This identified and substantiated practical and cost effective energy-saving initiatives that would achieve the building’s targeted 4.5 Star NABERS Energy rating.

A staged program of upgrade works was implemented under the guidance of ISPT and project managed by the property manager, Knight Frank. Priority was given to new, higher efficiency chillers, with the staging of the four machines optimised for seasonal operation. This has resulted in considerably improved efficiencies and reduced pumping energy, saving on running costs and energy consumption.

A.G. Coombs’ building optimisation specialists developed and implemented enhanced operational strategies for the energy consuming systems in the building, which has resulted in energy usage reductions in these existing systems.

Upgrades to improve public area lighting controls and fittings in the public areas, inclusive of car park areas and stairwells, have also been implemented by A.G. Coombs and Knight Frank, further reducing energy consumption.

Separation of the energy use by the retail areas, which also included escalators and other assets not associated with the office tower, has enabled clear and accurate identification

of the base building’s energy performance. This, together with a new energy metering and reporting system, underpins the identification of further enhancements and an improved NABERS Energy rating.

Implementation of the energy initiatives has resulted in the reduction of base building electricity usage by approximately 30%, with ISPT Commercial Portfolio Manager, Peter James, particularly pleased with the results so far.

A.G. Coombs’ building optimisation

specialists developed and implemented

enhanced building controls strategies

for the energy consuming systems in

the building, which has resulted in

energy usage reductions in these

existing systems.

“A.G. Coombs Advisory has helped to identify and deliver environmentally sustainable solutions that will enable us to get the best out of 477 Pitt Street,” he said. “Through a team approach, our internal experts, our property manager Knight Frank and the A.G. Coombs Group have worked collaboratively to combine their expertise and knowledge to bring about effective performance changes at Sydney Central. The building services technologies optimisation and the comprehensive energy metering and reporting systems enhancements are a very effective tool in managing the ongoing energy efficiency of the building. Energy usage reductions have already been demonstrated and the building is well on track to achieving its targeted 4.5 Star NABERS Energy rating. This will be a very positive outcome for ISPT and one that contributes to our goal of improving the NABERS Energy ratings across our entire property portfolio.”

reCoGnisinG the industry’s Future tAlent

For the second consecutive year, drafting trainee Nicholas Trevorah has been recognised by the AMCA for dedication and commitment to his role and to the industry. At this year’s Industry Dinner, Nicholas was presented with the prestigious AMCA Victorian Training Achievement Award. The award follows his win last year of the AMCA Victorian Drafting Traineeship Award.

The 2012 AMCA Drafting Traineeship Award went to A.G. Coombs’ second-year drafting trainee Danny Williams.

A.G. Coombs’ mechanical plumbing apprentice Heidi Hanlon was also a finalist in the 2012 AMCA Victorian Training Achievement Award. This was Heidi’s third achievement in just seven months, following on from her Allan Coombs Training Award win in December 2011, when she became the first female apprentice to win this award, and her receipt of the Holmesglen Apprenticeship Outstanding Student Award in May 2012.

These achievements reflect A.G. Coombs’ long and proud history of investing in the development of trainees and apprentices as the future of the organisation and the industry.

SUSTAINABLE BUILdINgS

39 hunter street: mAintAininG the pAst, the present And the Future

reCyClinG For the environment And For A Good CAuse

A.G. Coombs works to ensure the effective use of all materials in the delivery of its services and to minimise waste. Where materials are to be recycled, A.G. Coombs’ Environmental Management System and its Site Recycling policy ensure that our foundation charity benefits, with any funds raised from recycling donated to Challenge.

A.G. Coombs’ Environmental Management System achieved independent certification to the AS/NZS ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems standard in 2012 for use in A.G. Coombs Service operations. The system addresses all aspects of our services helping to reduce the environmental impact of our operations and importantly helping our clients reduce the impacts of their buildings and businesses.

Building owners have realised the benefits of optimising energy performance. ISPT is an example of a leading building owner whose efforts to improve the NABERS Star ratings across its property portfolio are already paying off, from both a cost and environmental perspective.

enerGy perFormAnCe optimisAtion At sydney CentrAl

08 09SUSTAINABLE BUILdINgS

Since its founding in 1876, the Royal Children’s Hospital has been an important factor in the health and wellbeing of Victorian children. At the new facility in Parkville, highly developed technical maintenance is helping to keep this leading world class healthcare facility on track.

Critical facilities such as large acute care hospitals are reliant on their buildings performing, all day every day, faultlessly. After five years of design and construction, the $1 billion Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in October 2011. The 188,000 square metre hospital complex also includes the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and all the medical support functions and technologies required to deliver the myriad of services in a modern healthcare facility. It depends on a range of building technology systems requiring an advanced approach to their management, operation and maintenance. This responsibility falls to the Spotless Group as Facility Manager and their professional team of in-house staff and specialist subcontractors.

Following on from successfully delivering the air conditioning, mechanical services, central energy plant and a number of specialist hospital

systems, A.G. Coombs is now an integral part of the on-site expert team. The buildings include 15,000kW of cooling capacity with both electric and absorption chillers, 13,800kW of heating capacity including natural gas and wood pellet fired boilers, 2,320kW of trigeneration heat, cooling and power generation, 76 significant pumps, over 290 air handling and fan coil units, 328 HEPA filters and more than 50 biohazard and fume cupboards together with a sophisticated Schneider Building Management and Controls System (BMCS). Working closely with the Facility Manager, A.G. Coombs is providing a combination of maintenance and system optimisation services for these systems and has played an important part in establishing operational methodologies, in particular fire testing.

The scale of the facility and its critical nature has a big impact on when and how maintenance activities are carried out. Numerous areas in the hospital including operating theatres and intensive care are highly dependent on building services and are continuously available, with limited opportunity for service works. Also, many of the systems feature central plant and are run throughout the facility; as such, any problems can affect a range of departments and activities. Whilst the facility’s design means that much of the maintenance works can be carried out ‘back of house’ and away from patient and

operational areas, cleanliness and closely prescribed maintenance requirements are an essential concern with many systems. Maintenance processes must be well planned and managed, and carefully delivered to ensure no disruptions; the team must work closely with the hospital’s around-the-clock schedule.

Maintaining the condition of this major investment is also an important consideration and is supported by a comprehensive asset management plan with lifecycle management strategies. Also addressed are the mandatory maintenance, inspection and testing regimens required for compliance with hospital standards, government regulation and the strict Key Performance Indicators for the Public Private Partnership under which the facility operates.

The project team promised to deliver one of Australia’s ‘greenest’ hospitals, and it includes a range of features and technologies to achieve that objective. Commissioning established an efficient starting point and now, with the hospital occupied, there is a strong focus on tuning the building’s systems to further improve environmental performance, and to ensure the best possible internal conditions for patients, staff and visitors. A.G. Coombs has an ongoing role to optimise the hospital ’s combination of systems, to reduce energy and water consumption while delivering the required conditions.

Steve Scott, Contract Manager at Spotless, has a high regard for the benefits expected from long-term maintenance strategies and a technically competent team.

“A.G. Coombs brings a wealth of knowledge to the Spotless team at the new Royal Children’s Hospital, having worked on the project for over six years. As such, they have been important in assisting us to establish a best practice approach to operating and maintaining this critical facility and to further improving its operation.”

The Royal Children’s Hospital has been providing care and support for Victoria’s children and their families for over 140 years. The new hospital

significantly enhances this capability and A.G. Coombs is very pleased to be a part of the team that will ensure that this important facility performs to its best in this role over the coming years.

“A.G. Coombs brings a wealth of knowledge to the Spotless team at the new Royal Children’s Hospital . . . they have been important in assisting us to establish a best practice approach to operating and maintaining this critical facility and to further improving its operation.”

Steve Scott, Contract Manager, Spotless

mAintAininG AustrAliA’s neWest Children’s hospitAl

inteGrAted teChniCAl mAnAGement in brisbAne

Integrated Technical Management has expanded its operations in Queensland.

123 Albert Street is one of Brisbane’s newest Premium Grade commercial office towers, built by Laing O’Rourke and owned by the DEXUS Property Group. In conjunction with A.G. Coombs Service, ITM managed and delivered maintenance services during the building’s Defects Liability Period after the collapse of the Hastie Group, helping to secure compliance with Essential Safety Measures. Under additional contracts, ITM is providing base building and tenancy mechanical maintenance services, the latter directly for tenants including anchor tenant Rio Tinto. ITM is also working towards achieving the targeted 5 Star NABERS Energy rating for the building with the delivery of a comprehensive Building Energy Optimisation Program (BEOP) and focused energy efficiency operational and maintenance regimes.

In the ACT, ITM continues to deliver technical facilities management services to the National Portrait Gallery and John Gorton and Treasury Buildings, along with ISPT’s recently completed 2 National Circuit.

1110 WHOLE OF LIFE

The logistics involved in delivering mechanical services and controls maintenance become challenging when the scope entails a diverse Government property portfolio that is State-wide.

Occupying over half a million square metres of building space, the Victorian State Government portfolio is made up primarily of office accommodation and is a mix of Government owned and leased properties. It includes regional offices in major centres such as Mildura, Ballarat, Geelong and Shepparton, and a range of Melbourne CBD and metropolitan buildings including the principal State Government facilities at the top of Collins Street. Known as the Treasury Reserve, this accommodates the Premier, a number of Government Ministers and their departments. It also includes some of Melbourne’s finest examples of the grand public buildings constructed during the Victorian gold rush period, including the Old Treasury Building,

(c1862) and 2 Treasury Place (c1876). The portfolio is the responsibility of the Victorian Government Services Division, or GSD.

Previously engaged on a smaller scale through Facility Manager Brookfield Multiplex Services, A.G. Coombs Service was subsequently appointed to deliver larger mechanical services and building controls maintenance contracts to the GSD portfolio. These contracts now span over 350 individual sites across multiple government departments and agencies, encompassing a wide variety of building types, including heritage listed.

A.G. Coombs Service works closely with Brookfield Multiplex to ensure that the facilities operate efficiently and provide optimal and safe conditions for the occupants. The two maintenance contracts are managed in an integrated process that takes in the complex logistics required for effective service delivery. Energy efficiency is also an important goal, with the Victorian government accommodation guidelines nominating minimum environmental and energy efficiency ratings for its accommodation.

All works are centrally managed through A.G. Coombs’ National Customer Service Centre with tasks carried out by specialist technicians, supplemented regionally by qualified local subcontractors. A closely managed system of work permits helps to ensure service consistency, regulatory compliance and, particularly for high profile government buildings, safety and security at each site. A.G. Coombs’ best practice safety management system, certified to Australian Standard AS4801 and the Victorian Government’s SafetyMAP Advanced system, together with well trained personnel, play an important part in the safe delivery of these services in the wide range of situations.

Mechanical services maintenance is provided to a large range of equipment and systems of varying age and complexity. These include boilers, chillers, air handling plant, ventilation and other systems that make up the buildings’ mandated Essential Safety Measures. With such a large portfolio, the process of improvement is also ongoing. Occupants’ needs change and older buildings are modernised with

more efficient plant and equipment. A good example of this is the recent replacement of 20 plus year old boilers at one of the larger CBD locations with four modern energy efficient ‘condensing’ boilers. These natural gas fired units recover heat from their exhaust flues adding to their already impressive energy efficiency.

A comprehensive program of asset labelling using bar coding has been implemented, enabling asset information from across the multiple sites to be collated into an asset register. This will support management and planning that accounts for the age and condition of plant and its lifecycle operation, leading to improved equipment and system reliability and optimised replacement and maintenance costs.

Effective building controls maintenance is important for system reliability and, also importantly, energy efficiency, as Building Management and Controls Systems drive the operation of the energy consuming systems in many of the buildings. Mechanical services including air conditioning typically account for

the majority of energy usage in the buildings, and the effective integration of the maintenance for these systems is an important factor in achieving and then retaining the required targeted energy efficiency levels.

Brookfield Multiplex’s Thomas Jacmenovic, who is Facility Manager for the GSD contract, is fully supportive of A.G. Coombs’ integrated management approach, noting some of the benefits witnessed to date.

“It takes a sophisticated service delivery model to successfully manage the complex logistics of a large multiple government department contract,” he said. “Originally comprising just 32 mainly CBD-based buildings, A.G. Coombs Service has successfully expanded its coverage to the new State-wide portfolio. Their integrated approach and effective delivery of maintenance services with skilled and well managed technical staff is a very important element in the provision of comfortable, healthy, safe and energy efficient accommodation for the Victorian State Government.”

ACross the strAit With A.G. Coombs

A.G. Coombs’ coverage of the eastern seaboard extends south into the island State of Tasmania, where the team is helping to deliver quality building services for clients in the banking, education and research sectors.

Since November 2006, A.G. Coombs Service has been delivering mechanical, fire and electrical maintenance services to the 244 sites that make up ANZ Bank’s Victorian/Tasmanian retail branch network. 25 of these sites are located in Tasmania, with works being undertaken by experienced multi skilled, licensed electricians – a combination of capabilities that helps to underpin A.G. Coombs as a multi service ‘one-stop’ maintenance provider. A further network of local specialist service providers also supports fast response times across the State.

A.G. Coombs Advisory is undertaking the Green Star Independent Commissioning Agent (ICA) role at the University of Tasmania’s new Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) facility, helping to drive and assure the delivery of key environmental initiatives. The 5 Star Green Star building is located on Hobart’s waterfront, with plans to use the surrounding harbour water for cooling.

John Wardle Architects

UTAS

“It takes a sophisticated service delivery model to successfully manage

the complex logistics of a large multiple government department contract.

A.G. Coombs Service has successfully expanded its coverage to the new

State-wide portfolio.”

Thomas Jacmenovic, Facility Manager for the GSD contract, Brookfield Multiplex

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Whole-oF-liFe mAintenAnCe For Whole oF stAte Government portFolio

SPECIALIST FACILITIES 1312

Data centres can contain anything from hundreds to thousands of computer racks, all operating at high capacity. The temperature in a data centre will rise because the large amount of electrical power used heats the air. Unless this heat is removed, it will ultimately result in electronic equipment malfunction. Air conditioning is used to control a data centre’s temperature and humidity levels, which commonly sit in a range of 16-24 degrees Celsius and 40-55 percent respectively. Things can go wrong however; components and systems can fail and fires can occur. Incorporating an effective fire detection and suppression system within overall data centre design is a very important aspect for high confidence operations. Such a system must provide both a very early warning of any possible fire event and an effective means of suppression that will cause minimal disruption to the data centre’s operations. Maintaining ‘up time’ is paramount to a data centre’s clients.

NEXTDC is a designer, developer and operator of independent data centres. The only ASX-listed independent data centre company in Australia, NEXTDC has made a strong impact on the Australian data centre market with a national portfolio of large-scale, energy efficient ‘next generation’ data centres. The company is also a leader with its fire safety planning, which helps to support the continued delivery of high reliability and high availability data services to its risk averse clients.

Walker Fire Protection was engaged by builders FDC to install, commission, test and maintain a new integrated fire protection system in three 1,000 square metre data halls at NEXTDC’s flagship data centre in Melbourne. The new system also had to account for future

expansion, with the M1 data centre planned to ultimately offer 6,000 square metres of technical co-location space spread equally over a total of six data halls.

Fire alarms, smoke detectors and VESDA® (Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus) systems have been installed throughout the facility for earliest possible detection. The VESDA® reference system also helps to protect the site from external smoke and fire. In this case, when smoke from outside the building is detected, from an external fire source, the building’s air intake louvers close so that the smoke does not alter the VESDA® sensitivity levels that, in turn, trigger the gas system.

The new gaseous fire suppression system services the entire 17,500 square metre facility. The system uses Proinert® Gas to stop a detected fire event, quickly limiting damage to equipment and minimising danger to any occupants. The gas is stored in cylinders with 160 initial response gas cylinders installed and another 160 reserve gas cylinders providing back-up, making this one of the largest gas system installations in Australia.

To protect the operation of the data centre’s diesel generators, an advanced water mist system has been installed in each of the 13 generator rooms. When heat detectors are activated, high pressure water mist is released to quickly suppress flames. Although not

currently a common method of fire suppression, water mist systems appear to be growing in popularity with mission critical facilities where high volumes of electricity are being generated on-site.

A sophisticated graphical system monitors the complete integrated fire system, facilitating quick identification of the smoke or fire source.

Jeff Van Zetten is Head of Engineering at NEXTDC and understands the importance of risk management planning, particularly for mission critical, high risk facilities.

“NEXTDC’s primary objective is to deliver secure, reliable long-term solutions to our

clients,” he said. “Our clients therefore need to trust in our protection of their critical infrastructure and in our safe storage capability. The fire risks associated with our new M1 data centre have been identified and effectively managed. Working with Walker Fire Protection, we have ensured maximum fire protection through very early warning alarms and proven fire suppression systems including a full back-up gas fire suppression capability. Walker Fire Protection were very helpful and have drawn on their specialist knowledge and expertise to install an innovative, fully integrated and practical fire protection solution that aligns with NEXTDC’s requirements.”

Data centre design tends to focus on future requirements such as scalability, energy efficiency and availability. To help secure that future, it is equally important to consider everyday requirements such as fire safety – a must for mission critical facilities housing high density information and communications technology.

mAximum Fire proteCtion At mission CritiCAl dAtA Centre

“Working with Walker Fire Protection, we have ensured maximum fire protection through very early warning alarms and proven fire suppression systems including a full back-up gas fire suppression capability.” Jeff Van Zetten, Head of Engineering, NEXTDC

AWArd WinninG sAFety innovAtion

Walker Fire Protection has received the National Fire Industry Association OneSteel Fire Systems Award for Innovation in Workplace Health and Safety, for its Vehicle Loading Device.

WorkSafe Victoria statistics reveal that over 4,700 claims are made annually for muscular stress injuries while lifting, carrying or putting down objects. And, back injuries are the most common type of injury for fire services industry workers, greater than for other construction trade workers.

Developed in close consultation with the WHS Committee and manufacturer Metal Form Industries, Walker Fire Protection’s Vehicle Loading Device is a specialist electric crane, cradle and trolley combination that removes the requirement for manual lifting of heavy pipe screwing machines. Walker Fire Protection General Manager Peter Picking said “The award reflects our long-standing commitment to workplace safety. In an industry with a very unfortunate record of injury associated with heavy lifting, this innovation has effectively removed a major risk area. Additionally, the Vehicle Loading Device is helping reduce workplace fatigue, and reinforces our culture that prioritises safety in all elements of operations.”

NEXTDC’s M1 data centre in Melbourne